This is a journal of my daily quiet times with God - how he speaks to me through dreams, visions & songs in combination with His Holy Word, the Bible, and often in coordination with current news events.
I will repair its broken places
Posted 23rd October 2009 at 03:47 PM by Christsfreeservant
Friday, October 23, 2009, 1:21 p.m. – I woke this morning around 9:00 a.m. My husband talked with me a little while, then my daughter-in-law called. While I was on the phone with her, my daughter called, and then she came over and visited for about an hour. She is 6 months pregnant and had just been to the doctor’s office for a blood test. Thirty minutes later we had lunch with our middle son, his wife and four children at a local restaurant. And, now we are back home. We have four married children and seven grandchildren, so our lives are full!
I know that I had at least two dreams last night. I could feel them floating around in my head, but they never surfaced. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Amos 8 yesterday, so I read Amos 9 today, which is the last chapter in Amos.
My Understanding: What jumped out at me immediately as I began to read this chapter is that the Lord issued a command to “Strike the tops of the pillars so that the thresholds shake.” I was thinking, based upon the last chapter and some similar wording in this chapter that we were still talking about an earthquake here, so it made me curious to discover what is meant by striking the tops of the pillars. A pillar is a support; column; post or it can be a leader or tower of strength. It also made me think about all of our government buildings in Washington D.C. and how so many of them have pillars in front of them, i.e. as part of their physical structures.
If the pillars are to symbolize leaders, then to strike the “tops” would be to strike those at the very top of leadership in our nation and/or in the universal church in the USA. The reason given to strike the tops of these pillars was so that the “thresholds” would shake. A threshold is a doorstep; entrance; the way in; access; opening; or the beginning of something, i.e. its onset or inception. A threshold can also be the upper limit or maximum of something. So, it sounds as though the reason to strike at the top of the leadership of a nation or the universal church is that these leaders do provide the access or the way into beliefs or actions that are not of God. They are the doors to evil; spiritual adultery; idolatry, etc. and God is blocking that access.
Then, in verse 5 it states nearly identical words as those found in v. 8 of chapter 8. It says, “… the whole land rises like the Nile, then sinks like the river of Egypt…” This sounds like an earthquake. Yet, metaphorically speaking, I see that this has to do with uprooting evil from the earth and then the evil going to its death. There will be no escaping this judgment, according to these verses. It will be all consuming.
Then, verse 8 stood out to me: "Surely the eyes of the Sovereign LORD
are on the sinful kingdom.
I will destroy it
from the face of the earth—
yet I will not totally destroy
the house of Jacob,"
declares the LORD.
I don’t believe there is any kingdom of men that is not “sinful,” yet the Lord here is speaking of very specific sin – sin that he deems worthy of such a judgment. I do know that the USA has claimed a Christian heritage and I do know that Christianity has been predominant in the USA for a really long time. I also know that there is a strong conservative base here in the USA, and I know that we still have “In God we Trust” on our coins and “One nation under God” in our pledge to the flag. I know that America has sent out missionaries all over the world with the gospel message, too. And, I know that God has blessed America for a long time.
Yet, I believe that God is unhappy (angry) with the direction our nation is going, both at a national level and in his church. I know that He sees much spiritual adultery and idolatry, watered-down gospel messages, worldly church congregations, lack of repentance, lack of hunger for God, lack of obedience, lack of desire for God’s Word, lies, deceit, and murder, etc. He has seen his church turn into “Big business.” When Jesus was on the face of the earth, he took a whip to the temple when the merchants turned his Father’s house into a market place. And, that is what has happened to his church today. And, that “whip” is coming again!
Then, in this verse he states that he will destroy the kingdom, which I believe he is saying about America, yet he continues by stating that he will not totally destroy “the house of Jacob.” I believe the application to today is that, although this earthly kingdom will be destroyed, his kingdom, i.e. his church will not be completely destroyed. There will be a remnant that remain. His purpose for his church is not to destroy them. His purpose for his church has always been to “shake them” and to bring them to their knees, to bring them to repentance and to get them to return to Jesus Christ, i.e. to Almighty God as their only true God and to worship him only.
Lastly, vv. 11-15 give us a message of hope. I love giving those messages!! Interestingly enough, it is 9:11 (chapter 9, verse 11) that introduces this message of hope. I believe that is so appropriate, because 9/11 to the people in the USA now signifies disaster and the death of thousands. I do believe that was a judgment of God on our nation in order to cleanse us but we would not be cleansed. So, this next judgment will be much worse. Yet, it has the same purpose – to cleanse. I love these words in v. 11 where it states that God will restore David’s fallen tent. Well, Jesus is in the line of David and his Messianic kingdom is considered the final line in David’s dynasty, so I see this as speaking about the restoration of the church.
I see this last section as a message of restoration, healing, and a rebuilding. From my understanding of these last five verses, this is speaking about the millennium and the reign of Jesus on the earth for 1,000 years. During that time, all that was destroyed during the time of tribulation will be restored and rebuilt. Yet, I also see that once this judgment has come that God’s church will be revived. So, there will be spiritual restoration once the people of God turn their eyes and their hearts back to him, and there will be physical restoration once Jesus returns for his bride and he sets up his kingdom here on the earth for these 1,000 years. So, even though God is promising judgment to come as a way to cleanse his people, he is promising them restoration, healing and to rebuild them into what they are supposed to be.
I know that I had at least two dreams last night. I could feel them floating around in my head, but they never surfaced. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Amos 8 yesterday, so I read Amos 9 today, which is the last chapter in Amos.
Quote:
Israel to Be Destroyed
1 I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and he said:
"Strike the tops of the pillars
so that the thresholds shake.
Bring them down on the heads of all the people;
those who are left I will kill with the sword.
Not one will get away,
none will escape.
2 Though they dig down to the depths of the grave,
from there my hand will take them.
Though they climb up to the heavens,
from there I will bring them down.
3 Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel,
there I will hunt them down and seize them.
Though they hide from me at the bottom of the sea,
there I will command the serpent to bite them.
4 Though they are driven into exile by their enemies,
there I will command the sword to slay them.
I will fix my eyes upon them
for evil and not for good."
5 The Lord, the LORD Almighty,
he who touches the earth and it melts,
and all who live in it mourn—
the whole land rises like the Nile,
then sinks like the river of Egypt-
6 he who builds his lofty palace in the heavens
and sets its foundation on the earth,
who calls for the waters of the sea
and pours them out over the face of the land—
the LORD is his name.
7 "Are not you Israelites
the same to me as the Cushites ?"
declares the LORD .
"Did I not bring Israel up from Egypt,
the Philistines from Caphtor
and the Arameans from Kir?
8 "Surely the eyes of the Sovereign LORD
are on the sinful kingdom.
I will destroy it
from the face of the earth—
yet I will not totally destroy
the house of Jacob,"
declares the LORD.
9 "For I will give the command,
and I will shake the house of Israel
among all the nations
as grain is shaken in a sieve,
and not a pebble will reach the ground.
10 All the sinners among my people
will die by the sword,
all those who say,
'Disaster will not overtake or meet us.'
Israel's Restoration
11 "In that day I will restore
David's fallen tent.
I will repair its broken places,
restore its ruins,
and build it as it used to be,
12 so that they may possess the remnant of Edom
and all the nations that bear my name, "
declares the LORD, who will do these things.
13 "The days are coming," declares the LORD,
"when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman
and the planter by the one treading grapes.
New wine will drip from the mountains
and flow from all the hills.
14 I will bring back my exiled people Israel;
they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them.
They will plant vineyards and drink their wine;
they will make gardens and eat their fruit.
15 I will plant Israel in their own land,
never again to be uprooted
from the land I have given them,"
says the LORD your God.
1 I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and he said:
"Strike the tops of the pillars
so that the thresholds shake.
Bring them down on the heads of all the people;
those who are left I will kill with the sword.
Not one will get away,
none will escape.
2 Though they dig down to the depths of the grave,
from there my hand will take them.
Though they climb up to the heavens,
from there I will bring them down.
3 Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel,
there I will hunt them down and seize them.
Though they hide from me at the bottom of the sea,
there I will command the serpent to bite them.
4 Though they are driven into exile by their enemies,
there I will command the sword to slay them.
I will fix my eyes upon them
for evil and not for good."
5 The Lord, the LORD Almighty,
he who touches the earth and it melts,
and all who live in it mourn—
the whole land rises like the Nile,
then sinks like the river of Egypt-
6 he who builds his lofty palace in the heavens
and sets its foundation on the earth,
who calls for the waters of the sea
and pours them out over the face of the land—
the LORD is his name.
7 "Are not you Israelites
the same to me as the Cushites ?"
declares the LORD .
"Did I not bring Israel up from Egypt,
the Philistines from Caphtor
and the Arameans from Kir?
8 "Surely the eyes of the Sovereign LORD
are on the sinful kingdom.
I will destroy it
from the face of the earth—
yet I will not totally destroy
the house of Jacob,"
declares the LORD.
9 "For I will give the command,
and I will shake the house of Israel
among all the nations
as grain is shaken in a sieve,
and not a pebble will reach the ground.
10 All the sinners among my people
will die by the sword,
all those who say,
'Disaster will not overtake or meet us.'
Israel's Restoration
11 "In that day I will restore
David's fallen tent.
I will repair its broken places,
restore its ruins,
and build it as it used to be,
12 so that they may possess the remnant of Edom
and all the nations that bear my name, "
declares the LORD, who will do these things.
13 "The days are coming," declares the LORD,
"when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman
and the planter by the one treading grapes.
New wine will drip from the mountains
and flow from all the hills.
14 I will bring back my exiled people Israel;
they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them.
They will plant vineyards and drink their wine;
they will make gardens and eat their fruit.
15 I will plant Israel in their own land,
never again to be uprooted
from the land I have given them,"
says the LORD your God.
My Understanding: What jumped out at me immediately as I began to read this chapter is that the Lord issued a command to “Strike the tops of the pillars so that the thresholds shake.” I was thinking, based upon the last chapter and some similar wording in this chapter that we were still talking about an earthquake here, so it made me curious to discover what is meant by striking the tops of the pillars. A pillar is a support; column; post or it can be a leader or tower of strength. It also made me think about all of our government buildings in Washington D.C. and how so many of them have pillars in front of them, i.e. as part of their physical structures.
If the pillars are to symbolize leaders, then to strike the “tops” would be to strike those at the very top of leadership in our nation and/or in the universal church in the USA. The reason given to strike the tops of these pillars was so that the “thresholds” would shake. A threshold is a doorstep; entrance; the way in; access; opening; or the beginning of something, i.e. its onset or inception. A threshold can also be the upper limit or maximum of something. So, it sounds as though the reason to strike at the top of the leadership of a nation or the universal church is that these leaders do provide the access or the way into beliefs or actions that are not of God. They are the doors to evil; spiritual adultery; idolatry, etc. and God is blocking that access.
Then, in verse 5 it states nearly identical words as those found in v. 8 of chapter 8. It says, “… the whole land rises like the Nile, then sinks like the river of Egypt…” This sounds like an earthquake. Yet, metaphorically speaking, I see that this has to do with uprooting evil from the earth and then the evil going to its death. There will be no escaping this judgment, according to these verses. It will be all consuming.
Then, verse 8 stood out to me: "Surely the eyes of the Sovereign LORD
are on the sinful kingdom.
I will destroy it
from the face of the earth—
yet I will not totally destroy
the house of Jacob,"
declares the LORD.
I don’t believe there is any kingdom of men that is not “sinful,” yet the Lord here is speaking of very specific sin – sin that he deems worthy of such a judgment. I do know that the USA has claimed a Christian heritage and I do know that Christianity has been predominant in the USA for a really long time. I also know that there is a strong conservative base here in the USA, and I know that we still have “In God we Trust” on our coins and “One nation under God” in our pledge to the flag. I know that America has sent out missionaries all over the world with the gospel message, too. And, I know that God has blessed America for a long time.
Yet, I believe that God is unhappy (angry) with the direction our nation is going, both at a national level and in his church. I know that He sees much spiritual adultery and idolatry, watered-down gospel messages, worldly church congregations, lack of repentance, lack of hunger for God, lack of obedience, lack of desire for God’s Word, lies, deceit, and murder, etc. He has seen his church turn into “Big business.” When Jesus was on the face of the earth, he took a whip to the temple when the merchants turned his Father’s house into a market place. And, that is what has happened to his church today. And, that “whip” is coming again!
Then, in this verse he states that he will destroy the kingdom, which I believe he is saying about America, yet he continues by stating that he will not totally destroy “the house of Jacob.” I believe the application to today is that, although this earthly kingdom will be destroyed, his kingdom, i.e. his church will not be completely destroyed. There will be a remnant that remain. His purpose for his church is not to destroy them. His purpose for his church has always been to “shake them” and to bring them to their knees, to bring them to repentance and to get them to return to Jesus Christ, i.e. to Almighty God as their only true God and to worship him only.
Lastly, vv. 11-15 give us a message of hope. I love giving those messages!! Interestingly enough, it is 9:11 (chapter 9, verse 11) that introduces this message of hope. I believe that is so appropriate, because 9/11 to the people in the USA now signifies disaster and the death of thousands. I do believe that was a judgment of God on our nation in order to cleanse us but we would not be cleansed. So, this next judgment will be much worse. Yet, it has the same purpose – to cleanse. I love these words in v. 11 where it states that God will restore David’s fallen tent. Well, Jesus is in the line of David and his Messianic kingdom is considered the final line in David’s dynasty, so I see this as speaking about the restoration of the church.
I see this last section as a message of restoration, healing, and a rebuilding. From my understanding of these last five verses, this is speaking about the millennium and the reign of Jesus on the earth for 1,000 years. During that time, all that was destroyed during the time of tribulation will be restored and rebuilt. Yet, I also see that once this judgment has come that God’s church will be revived. So, there will be spiritual restoration once the people of God turn their eyes and their hearts back to him, and there will be physical restoration once Jesus returns for his bride and he sets up his kingdom here on the earth for these 1,000 years. So, even though God is promising judgment to come as a way to cleanse his people, he is promising them restoration, healing and to rebuild them into what they are supposed to be.
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Recent Blog Entries by Christsfreeservant
- Breaking Peace (14th November 2009)
- When You Don't Understand (26th October 2009)
- I will repair its broken places (23rd October 2009)
- What is the Point? 2 (21st October 2009)
- What is the Point? (21st October 2009)
